R$kp is a music producer living in the Lot Valley, in the southwest of France. A real dinosaur of the underground (he actively participated in the rise of the legendary French label-distributor New Rose), he is known for his instrumental productions mixing trap-inspired rhythms with dark atmospheres that come from post-punk or ambient (cold wave trend). His music is a cross between shadow and light enhanced with a futuristic accent, in perpetual search of a melodic line. As a professional publisher, his albums are often very conceptual and directly inspired by his readings or documentaries seen on television.

"L’EAU LOURDE - Vemork / Mazingarbe", R$kp's debut on Mahorka is actually a pair of two conceptually connected conceptual albums, coming out as two sides of the same release.

Released August 17, 2025 as free (cc) digital download an in limited cassette edition.

SIDE A: VEMORK

Heavy water or deuterium oxide D2O (or 2H2O) is made up of the same chemical elements as ordinary water H2O (or 1H2O), but its hydrogen atoms are heavy isotopes, deuterium (the deuterium nucleus contains a neutron in addition to the proton present in every hydrogen atom). Heavy water is used in nuclear reactors as a neutron moderator to slow down neutrons from nuclear fission reactions. The slowed down neutrons then have a higher probability of causing new fission of uranium nuclei, thus enabling the chain reaction.

In 1934, the Norwegian company Norsk Hydro managed to manufacture 185 kg of this precious liquid at its hydroelectric plant in Vemork (Tinn municipality, Telemark county), in still neutral Norway. This constitutes the only WORLD’S global stock. On the eve of the invasion of Norway by the Germans, Raoul Dautry, French Minister of Armaments, entrusted the Second Bureau with the very delicate mission of outpacing the Germans and repatriating this Norwegian stock...

SIDE B: MAZINGARBE

After the Second World War, Western countries and Russia embarked on the race for the atom. From 1958 to 1963 France produced heavy water, essential for nuclear fission, in very small quantities (in the ONIA factory in Toulouse, just opposite AZF). But in 1966, thanks to the presence of a very large ammonia production plant, adjacent to the coke ovens of the coal mines, France was able to launch into the production of heavy water on a large scale, in the Mazingarbe plant, region of Lens, already within the framework of the reconversion of the mining basin.

The Mazingarbe plant uses an original process: that of isotopic exchange between ammonia and natural hydrogen. The latter is made up, in fact, of a mixture of two isotopes: hydrogen and deuterium, the combination of which with oxygen gives heavy water. The Mazingarbe plant came into service on December 3, 1967. In operation until 1972, its production was mainly used to supply - in part - the heavy water necessary for the two Célestin reactors, specialized in the production of tritium used for making thermonuclear bombs.

Composed and produced by R$kp
Cover photo by InAIweTrust.inc
Cover design by R$KP

Thanks : Eternal thanks to Ivo for his trust.

[mhrk456]

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